


Darling You Make My Heart Aflutter

by wes_the_writer



Category: RWBY
Genre: Birds, Day 4: Birds/Soulmates, Fair Game Week (RWBY), Fair Game Week 2020, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Swearing, fairgameweek2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23227201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wes_the_writer/pseuds/wes_the_writer
Summary: Fair Game Week Day 4: Birds + SoulmatesEvery human being is assigned a spirit animal at birth which, according to ancient legend, is a manifestation of one’s soulmate. The spirit acts as a companion that follows the human wherever they go and serves to guide a person throughout life to eventually meet their fated partner. No one knows how these creatures came to be, but if the person were to come across their soulmate, it is said that something magical will occur…
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 14
Kudos: 95





	Darling You Make My Heart Aflutter

Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains and casted a warmth across the small, cramped bedroom. Qrow grumbled as he threw an arm over his eyes, unwilling to get up. He silently prayed that life took pity on him and allowed just _one day_ of relaxation, but of course, it had other plans. 

The rapid tandem of flapping wings appeared to his right before a familiar weight settled on his messy head of hair. With a forlorn sigh, the dark-haired man dragged his arm away as a grimace pulled at his lips.

“C’mon, can’t I just take a break for today? If I have to deal with any more of Rae’s bullshit I’m going to lose it,” Qrow all but whined.

An admonishing yet gentle peck to his forehead was the only answer he received.

He let out a ragged sigh. “Guess not. Was worth a shot.” 

Qrow pulled himself up into a sitting position and belted out a dramatic yawn. As he stretched his arms up high, the weight on his head disappeared. Wings flapped eagerly once more, and Qrow blinked to find his little companion nestled comfortably in his lap now.

A small Belted Kingfisher stared back at him with curious teal eyes. Unlike normal birds one saw outside, this one retained a transparent form wrapped in a light teal glow. Its large, stocky head tilted to the right as it blinked three times, a sign that Qrow recognized as a message to get moving already. He reached out and placed a ginger but playful tap onto the bird’s pointed beak while his lips lifted into a fond smirk. 

“Alright, alright, I’m going. Let’s get this day started, Lucky Charm.” The bird perked up with endearing excitement and quickly flew off the bed as Qrow shoved the blankets away from his body. He stretched once again when he got to his feet, a loud groan pulled from him as his joints finally began to warm up. 

The man made his way to leave the room and paused and grabbed fresh clothes from his closet while Lucky Charm fluttered dutifully beside him. He opened the door with a flourish, only to be stopped dead in his tracks by the sudden appearance of his sister, who stood in front of him with a cocked brow. 

“Well, looks like _someone_ actually woke up on their own for once. Do we need to celebrate the occasion?” Raven crossed her arms as she gave him a smug grin. Qrow resisted the urge to slam the door in her face and calmed down a bit when he felt Lucky Charm’s comforting weight on his right shoulder.

“What do you want, Rae?” 

“I’ve got another errand for you to run,” Raven said in a nonchalant tone. “I need you to deliver an order to one of our customers.” 

Qrow already felt the incoming headache. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed loudly. “Rae, for the last damn time, I’m not a delivery boy. Can’t you find one of the rookies to do it?”

“It’s because they’re rookies that I’m not going to entrust them with something like this. The customer is an old friend of mine and it needs to get there safely,” she narrowed her crimson gaze at him. “You’re the only one I trust, unfortunately.”

“You have a _real_ interesting way of asking someone for a favor, y’know that?” 

She shrugged. “I’m paying you. Is there any objection to that?” 

“...I _really_ can't stand you.” 

“The feeling’s mutual, baby brother. But hating me isn’t going to pay the bills, is it?” She gave his cheek a faux affectionate pat and rolled her eyes as he batted it away. She turned away and strutted down the hall where a coyote, transparent and tinged soft gold, waited for her. Qrow watched as she reached down to lightly scratch behind its ears and content growl rippled from its chest while it nuzzled into the touch. 

' _She loves that spirit animal more than anyone or anything else. I_ almost _feel bad for Tai._ ' Qrow snorted once his sister was out of sight. He continued his trek to the bathroom and as he glanced over at Lucky Charm, a sudden realization popped into his mind. ' _Speaking of which, I’ve never heard Lucky Charm chirp once. Everyone I know has their spirit animals making noises left and right. I never gave it much thought, but..._ '

He pondered for a moment before he decided that there wasn't any rush in finding out anyways. With a shrug, he entered the bathroom, ready to start his morning routine.

* * *

Yang and Ruby were the only ones present on the first floor, from the look of things. Qrow clicked his tongue, not surprised in the least that his sister had ditched the job to him already. 

"Morning, Uncle Qrow! Hi, Lucky Charm!" Ruby waved happily at him as her silver eyes twinkled. He gave a grunt in greeting and the bird on his shoulder lifted a wing in response. She returned her attention back to the snow white Arctic fox in her lap that trilled contentedly as she gave it a gentle pat on the head.

"Someone's looking a little mad. What's going on?" Yang crossed her arms and smirked. Sometimes she looked way too much like her mother, to Qrow's chagrin. A Bombay cat tinged an iridescent lilac perched on her shoulders canted its head towards him curiously with a soft meow.

"You know exactly why I’m mad, firecracker. I'm stuck doing delivery grunt work for your mom while she gets to hang out and relax," he trudged over to the counter and looked at the package placed on there. It was a large black pastry box with a simple red ribbon tied on top. The bakery’s logo, a small black bird seated on the edge of a golden bird’s nest, was printed on a small white card tucked underneath the ribbon.

"It isn't all that bad, right? Mom told me she sends you because you manage to grab her more customers," the blonde's eyes crinkled into a teasing smile. "Guess no one can say no to a rugged, handsome guy knocking on their door with pastry deliveries, huh?"

"Very funny," Qrow muttered as he ran a hand through his hair. "As if hearing that makes me feel any better about it. Good to know my sister only sees me as a tool for her business."

"Oh, come on, Uncle Qrow! Isn't this the perfect opportunity for you? You're out there doing deliveries every day, so who knows? You might even meet your soulmate this way!" 

Qrow's face scrunched up with distaste. "Yang, let's not get into that."

"Why not? You haven't dated in years and you're not getting any younger, you know," Yang stuck her tongue out as Qrow glowered darkly in return. "You're mad because I'm right. You want to meet them soon, don't you?"

Of course he did. As if he didn't have nights where he laid in bed and wondered what the hell was wrong with him. At his age, he should have long been paired up already. Raven made it painstakingly clear that it was his biggest problem. She mocked him at every chance she could get, but despite her relentless teasing he saw the worry in her eyes. Tai eagerly told him that he was ready to help out on the partner searching if Qrow ever needed it. The idiot was so lovestruck that everything he saw was through rose-tinted glasses, excited by anything remotely related to romance. Summer, bless her heart, never pushed Qrow on the subject, but it was obvious she wanted him to find happiness too. If only she were here now to tell him what to say. 

"Look, it's complicated. I'm just not interested in looking for a partner right now."

"Uncle Qrow… we just want you to be happy. You've worked hard raising us when Mom passed away, and then you've been helping out Dad and Raven with the shop," Ruby looked up at him with those bright eyes that reminded him so much of Summer. "You don't have to look for anything serious if you're not comfortable, but it might be a good change of pace to start searching."

"Ruby's right. We know better than anyone that you deserve someone special too. And hey, you know I'll kick their butts if they hurt you, so just send them my way," Yang raised a fist with a huge grin on her lips.

Qrow knew he couldn't stand a chance as he stood underneath their expectant stares. He huffed out another sigh and gave them a tired smile. “I’ll think about it. Anyways, I need to get this delivery out first, I’ll catch you two later.”

He grabbed the box and hefted it into his arms with a huff. He felt the two of them boring holes into his back as he retreated, but he knew they wouldn't push the subject any further. ...For now.

* * *

The address on the package luckily wasn’t too far away, so Qrow decided it would be a good change of pace to set out on foot for once. Spring was in the air for Vale and the sun was warm on his back but not overbearing. Lucky Charm chose to fly ahead of him, as if it always knew where exactly to go.

While he ambled along the fairly calm streets, he couldn’t help but get lost in thought. The girls were right and he just refused to admit in front of them. All his life Qrow never considered himself the popular type, although that didn’t mean he saw himself as unattractive. Like Yang pointed out, the last time he dated someone was a _long_ time ago. It wasn’t like he had people lining out the door for him but he knew people were interested in him. There were a few customers that had attempted to flirt with him, some brazen ones that slipped their phone numbers to him whenever he dropped off a delivery or invited him inside for a drink. He appreciated the interest, but there was an uncomfortable feeling in his chest whenever he thought of taking up their offers. Ultimately, he knew that it wouldn’t work out. Between helping out at the shop with his family and his part-time job as a freelance editor, there wasn’t much time left for himself. How could he factor in a relationship along with all of that?

...No, that was just an excuse. Qrow knew the real reason why he never accepted any offers.

It was because he knew they deserved better. Someone who could manage their time properly to dedicate to their partner. Someone who could ‘love’ properly without holding back.

His last partner had told him how annoying Qrow’s constant cynicism was. Apparently Qrow wasn’t who he expected him to be. Qrow never ‘reciprocated’ when it came to their feelings when they both knew damn well that he struggled with that but was trying his best. But his best still wasn’t enough.

Then again, he should have known it wasn’t a right match when Lucky Charm acted standoffish with the guy from the very beginning. The usually joyful and friendly little bird didn’t even bother with his ex most of the time, and if he had done anything to make Qrow upset—which was pretty damn often—then it wouldn’t hesitate to flap around the man’s face to get him to leave its companion alone.

That memory dragged up another one—but this time from his childhood. He recalled his mother telling them a story about an ancient legend about the origin of these spirit animals. If he remembered correctly, she said something about them being a representation of the owner’s soulmate, which Qrow thought was just like a fairy tale he read in one of his favorite books. For some time, he would talk to Lucky Charm alone in his bedroom and enthusiastically asked the little bird if it knew what his soulmate looked like. A child’s imagination could go far, and he envisioned his lifelong partner to be this amazing warrior that he would fight alongside with, going on endless adventures with them. 

Sometimes Qrow wished he still held on to a bit of that hope. Unfortunately, reality wasn’t all that wonderful or amazing as the fairy tales he's read about described it to be. Maybe he would never find his soulmate. Maybe that was for the best.

Qrow jolted hard and nearly dropped the package when he felt a peck on his forehead. He blinked twice and looked up slowly to see Lucky Charm in front of his face. If birds could make expressions, Qrow was pretty sure his companion wore a look of exasperation.

“...Sorry, I got lost in thought. What’s wrong?”

The bird cocked its head to the left and his eyes followed. A quaint little house adorned in pastel blues and greens accents all over the window frames and roof stood in front of him. He glanced at the three-digit number on a wooden plank painted with flowers hung by the door and his mind instantly recognized it as the same one on the address for the package. The raven-haired man gave his companion a sheepish smile.

“Thanks. What would I do without you?” He was given yet another look from the bird before it flew closer to the house. He headed to the white picket fence and found it unlocked, so he walked past it toward the several steps that led up to the front door. Once he made it, he knocked on the door with one hand as he balanced the package in the other. Qrow could hear some muffled chatter through the door, followed by quickened footsteps that steadily grew closer.

The door swung open and Qrow, ready to deliver his usual lines, froze at the sight of the person’s face that greeted him.

Stunning teal eyes took his breath away as they stared at him curiously. Impossibly soft-looking chestnut brown hair ruffled in all the right places with a few strands that hung down onto immaculate, tawny skin. His gaze trailed down a tall nose which led right to soft lips that were practically begging to be kissed. 

The man standing in front of him was _gorgeous_. 

“Can I help you?” _Gods, his voice was the smoothest sound that had ever caressed Qrow’s ears_. It suited him perfectly and Qrow knew without a doubt that no other voice could match him more. 

A weight settled on his right shoulder which luckily kicked him out of his gawking. His cheeks warmed at being caught ogling at the man, and he cleared his throat. He did his best to shove away the urge to look away, his face growing hotter when the corner of the man’s lips quirked up. 

“Uh, I have a delivery from Bird’s Nest Bakery for… Mrs. Ebi?” The name sounded familiar, but one look at this handsome stranger forced everything in his mind out the proverbial window. The man blinked and glanced down at the package in Qrow’s arms as if he had just noticed it. His eyes lit up with recognition and the smile on those enchanting lips widened.

“Oh! Thanks, she’s been waiting for her weekly fix all day now. She’ll be so happy when she comes back home later,” his voice dipped with a tender fondness that made Qrow weak in the knees. He reached out to take the package, and Qrow numbly moved to hand it to him.

Their fingertips brushed and Qrow couldn’t resist the jolt that went through his entire body. It felt like he had gotten shocked as his senses were heightened in an oddly pleasant way, and from the looks of the other man, it seemed like he felt it too. Garnet eyes met widened teal ones and time seemed to pause as they gazed at each other. 

And that’s when they heard it.

A cheerful little chirp was immediately accompanied by delightful tweeting from Qrow’s shoulder. They both jerked their heads to the source of the sound, where Lucky Charm happily flapped its wings while it was… _singing_. 

Qrow thought he was hallucinating and that this had to be a dream. He expected to wake up at any time now, still in bed with his blankets curled around him. Throughout his time with the little bird, he never once heard a single peep out of it. Now here it was belting out a tune as if it had done so all its life.

However, that wasn’t the only peculiar thing that happened. Qrow picked up on the sound of flapping wings once more, this time from inside the man’s house. He slowly craned his neck back to face the man, who now had a magnificent crow, translucent and tinged a ruddy red perched on his wide shoulder. It canted its head towards Lucky Charm and surprised the two men with a loud, eager caw. The brunet’s jaw dropped as he watched the crow flap its large wings while it continued to let out joyful cries. 

“D-Dusty?” The man stuttered in shock as the crow cawed once more, happy to respond to its partner’s words. “What’s going? You’ve never done that before…”

Qrow stared in wonder at the crow. “Wait… yours never did either?” 

Brilliant teal eyes filled with surprise and disbelief met his gaze. “Dusty’s been silent for as long as I can remember. My mother told me it’s incredibly rare, but…”

Yet another memory suddenly appeared in Qrow's mind. A continuation from the story his mother told him about the legend of spirit animals.

_No one knows how these creatures came to be, but if the person were to meet their soulmate, it is said that something magical will occur…_

Lucky Charm’s pleasant singing continued as a backdrop to this moment. Dusty’s crowing was an adorable accompaniment that made Qrow’s chest fill with an emotion he’s never felt before.

Qrow’s lips moved before he could process the words. “What’s your name?”

“...Clover. Clover Ebi,” the man—Clover, responded. “What’s yours?”

“Qrow. Qrow Branwen.”

 _Clover_. That was his name. It suited him perfectly, just like everything else about him. Suddenly, Lucky Charm’s teal glow made so much sense.

He gazed deeply into that beautiful teal sea and found himself lost in them, as cliche as it sounded. Those eyes that had initially stared with curiosity, now looked at Qrow as though something had magically clicked in Clover’s mind as well.

Qrow knew he shouldn’t be that eager and jump to conclusions. He was basing this all off an ancient legend that could very well be only a myth.

But he felt his heart flutter like Lucky Charm’s wings, something that he’s never experienced in his life until today. Until this very moment.

...So, he might just be hopeful and might just be dumb enough to go by the details of an age-old fairy tale. He’s never considered himself a lucky man, save for the incidents where Lucky Charm saved or helped him. And now it made even more sense.

Maybe his luck was finally turning around, and he had his little good luck charm to thank for that.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! Wes here, you might know me as yuli-the-bi on Tumblr! I really wanted to try my hand at writing fanfic since it's been a very long time that I've done so and Fair Game means the world to me. I hope you enjoy this fic and that you have a wonderful rest of the week!


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